THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN AREA AT AYODHYA ACT, 1993 
_____________ 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
___________ 

CHAPTER I 

PRELIMINARY 

SECTIONS 

1.  Short title and commencement. 
2.  Definitions. 

CHAPTER II 

ACQUISITION OF THE AREA IN AYODHYA 

3.  Acquisition of rights in respect of certain area. 
4.  General effect of vesting. 
5.  Duty of person or State Government in charge of the management of the area to deliver all assets, 

etc. 

6.  Power of Central Government to direct vesting of the area in another authority or body or trust. 

CHAPTER III 

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROPERTY 

7.  Management of property by Government. 

CHAPTER IV 

MISCELLANEOUS 

8.  Payment of amount. 
9.  Act to override all other enactments. 
10.  Penalties. 
11.  Protection of action taken in good faith. 
12.  Power to make rules. 
13.  Repeal and saving. 

THE SCHEDULE. 

1 

 
THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN AREA AT AYODHYA ACT, 1993 

ACT NO. 33 OF 1993 

[3rd April, 1993.] 

An  Act  to  provide  for  the  acquisition  of  certain  area  at  Ayodhya  and  for  matters  connected 

therewith or incidental thereto. 

WHEREAS there has been a long-standing dispute relating to the structure (including the premises of 
the  inner  and  outer  courtyards  of  such  structure),  commonly  known  as  the  Ram  Janma  Bhumi-Babri 
Masjid,  situated  in  village  Kot  Ramchandra  in  Ayodhya,  in  Pargana  Haveli  Avadh,  in  tehsil  Faizabad 
Sadar, in the district of Faizabad of the State of Uttar Pradesh; 

AND  WHEREAS the said dispute has affected the maintenance of public order and harmony between 

different communities in the country; 

AND  WHEREAS it is necessary to maintain public order and to promote communal harmony and the 

spirit of common brotherhood amongst the people of India; 

AND  WHEREAS  with  a  view  to  achieving  the  aforesaid  objectives,  it  is  necessary  to  acquire  certain 

areas in Ayodhya; 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

CHAPTER I 

PRELIMINARY 

1. Short title and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Acquisition of Certain Area at 

Ayodhya Act, 1993. 

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 7th day of January, 1993. 

2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

(a)  “area”  means  the  area  (including  all  the  buildings,  structures  or  other  properties  comprised 

therein) specified in the Schedule; 

(b) “authorised person” means a person or body of persons or trustees of any trust authorised by 

the Central Government under section 7; 

(c) “Claims Commissioner” means the Claims Commissioner appointed under sub-section (2) of 

section 8; 

(d) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act. 

CHAPTER II 

ACQUISITION OF THE AREA IN AYODHYA 

3. Acquisition of rights in respect of certain area.—On and from the commencement of this Act, 
the right, title and interest in relation to the area shall, by virtue of this Act, stand transferred to, and vest 
in, the Central Government. 

4. General effect of vesting.—(1) The area shall be deemed to include all assets, rights, leaseholds, 
powers,  authority  and  privileges  and  all  property,  movable  and  immovable,  including  lands,  buildings, 
structures, shops of whatever nature or other properties and all other rights and interests in, or arising out 
of,  such  properties  as  were  immediately  before  the  commencement  of  this  Act  in  the  ownership, 
possession, power or control of any person or the State Government of Uttar Pradesh, as the case may be, 
and all registers, maps, plans, drawings and other documents of whatever nature relating thereto. 

(2) All properties aforesaid which have vested in the Central Government under section 3 shall, by 
force of such vesting, be freed and discharged from any trust, obligation, mortgage, charge, lien and all 
other  encumbrances  affecting  them  and  any  attachment,  injunction,  decree  or  order  of  any  court  or 

2 

 
tribunal or other authority restricting the use of such properties in any manner or appointing any receiver 
in respect of the whole or any part of such properties shall cease to have any effect. 

(3) If, on the commencement of this Act, any suit, appeal or other proceeding in respect of the right, 
title and interest relating to any property which has vested in the Central Government under section 3, is 
pending before any court, tribunal or other authority, the same shall abate. 

5. Duty of person or State Government in charge of the management of  the area to deliver all 
assets, etc.—(1) The Central Government may take all necessary steps to secure possession of the area 
which is vested in that Government under section 3. 

(2)  On  the  vesting  of  the  area  in  the  Central  Government  under  section  3,  the  person  or  State 
Government of Uttar Pradesh, as the case may be, in charge of the management of the area immediately 
before  such  vesting  shall  be  bound  to  deliver  to  the  Central  Government  or  the  authorised  person,  all 
assets, registers and other documents in their custody relating to such vesting or where it is not practicable 
to  deliver  such  registers  or  documents,  the  copies  of  such  registers  or  documents  authenticated  in  the 
prescribed manner. 

6. Power of Central Government to direct vesting of the area in another authority or body or 
trust.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in sections 3, 4, 5 and 7, the Central Government may, if 
it  is  satisfied  that  any  authority  or  other  body,  or  trustees  of  any  trust,  set  up  on  or  after  the 
commencement of this Act is or are willing to comply with such terms and conditions as that Government 
may think fit to impose, direct by notification in the Official Gazette, that the right, title and interest or 
any  of  them  in  relation  to  the  area  or  any  part  thereof,  instead  of  continuing  to  vest  in  the  Central 
Government, vest in that authority or body or trustees of that trust either on the date of the notification or 
on such later date as may be specified in the notification. 

(2) When any right, title and interest in relation to the area or part thereof vest in the authority or body 
or trustees referred to in sub-section (1), such rights of the Central Government in relation to such area or 
part  thereof,  shall,  on  and  from  the  date  of  such  vesting,  be  deemed  to  have  become  the  rights  of  that 
authority or body or trustees of that trust. 

 (3)  The  provisions  of  sections  4,  5,  7  and  11  shall,  so  far  as  may  be,  apply  in  relation  to  such 
authority  or  body  or  trustees  as  they  apply  in  relation  to  the  Central  Government  and  for  this  purpose 
references therein to the Central Government shall be construed as references to such authority or body or 
trustees. 

CHAPTER III 

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROPERTY 

7.  Management  of  property  by  Government.—(1)  Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  any 
contract or instrument or order of any court, tribunal or other authority to the contrary, on and from the 
commencement  of  this  Act,  the  property  vested  in  the  Central  Government  under  section  3  shall  be 
managed by the Central Government or by a person or body of persons or trustees of any trust authorised 
by that Government in this behalf. 

(2)  In  managing  the  property  vested  in  the  Central  Government  under  section  3,  the  Central 
Government or the authorised person shall ensure that the position existing before the commencement of 
this Act in the area on which the structure (including the premises of the inner and outer courtyards of 
such  structure),  commonly  known  as  the  Ram  Janma  Bhumi-Babri  Masjid,  stood  in  village  Kot 
Ramchandra in Ayodhya, in Pargana Haveli Avadh, in tehsil Faizabad Sadar, in the district of Faizabad of 
the State of Uttar Pradesh is maintained. 

CHAPTER IV 

MISCELLANEOUS 

8. Payment of amount.—(1) The owner of any land, building, structure or other property comprised 
in the area shall be given by the Central Government, for the transfer to and vesting in that Government 
under  section  3  of  that  land,  building,  structure  or  other  property,  in  cash  an  amount  equivalent  to  the 
market value of the land, building, structure or other property. 

3 

 
(2) The Central Government shall, for the purpose of deciding the claim of the owner or any person 
having a claim against the owner under sub-section (1), by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint a 
Claims Commissioner. 

(3) The Claims Commissioner shall regulate his own procedure for receiving and deciding the claims. 

(4)  The  owner  or  any  person  having  a  claim  against  the  owner  may  make  a  claim  to  the  Claims 

Commissioner within a period of ninety days from the date of commencement of this Act: 

Provided that if the Claims Commissioner is satisfied that the claimant was prevented by sufficient 
cause  from  preferring  the  claim  within  the  said  period  of  ninety  days,  the  Claims  Commissioner  may 
entertain the claim within a further period of ninety days and not thereafter. 

9.  Act  to  override  all  other  enactments.—The  provisions  of  this  Act  shall  have  effect 
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force or 
any instrument having effect by virtue of any law other than this Act or any decree or order of any court, 
tribunal or other authority. 

10. Penalties.—Any person who is in charge of the management of the area and fails to deliver to the 
Central Government or the authorised person any asset, register or other document in his custody relating 
to such area or, as the case may be, authenticated copies of such register or document, shall be punishable 
with  imprisonment  for  a  term  which  may  extend  to  three  years  or  with  fine  which  may  extend  to  ten 
thousand rupees or with both. 

11. Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall 
lie against the Central Government or the authorised person or any of the officers or other employees of 
that Government or the authorised person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done 
under this Act. 

12. Power to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 

make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act. 

(2) Every rule made by the Central Government under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it 
is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which 
may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the 
session  immediately  following  the  session  or  the  successive  sessions  aforesaid,  both  Houses  agree  in 
making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall 
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that 
any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done 
under that rule. 

13. Repeal and saving.—(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), the Acquisition of Certain 

Area at Ayodhya Ordinance, 1993 ( Ord. 8 of 1993), is hereby repealed. 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the said Ordinance,— 

(a)  the  right,  title  and  interest  in  relation  to  plot  No.  242  situated  in  village  Kot  Ramchandra 
specified against Sl. No. 1 of the Schedule to the said Ordinance shall be deemed never to have been 
transferred to, and vested in, the Central Government; 

(b) any suit, appeal or other proceeding in respect of the right, title and interest relating to the said 
plot  No.  242,  pending  before  any  court,  tribunal  or  other  authority,  shall  be  deemed  never  to  have 
abated and such suit, appeal or other proceeding (including the orders or interim orders of any court 
thereon)  shall  be  deemed  to  have  been  restored  to  the  position  existing  immediately  before  the 
commencement of the said Ordinance; 

(c) any other action taken or thing done under that Ordinance in relation to the said plot No. 242 

shall be deemed never to have been taken or done. 

(3) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the said Ordinance shall be 

deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act. 

4 

 
 
Sl. 
No. 

(1) 

1. 

THE SCHEDULE 

[See section 2(a) ] 

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA 

Name of Village/ 
Pargana/Tehsil/ 
District/State 

Revenue (Khasra) 
Plot Nos. 

Area to be acquired 

      Bigha        Biswa        Biswansi 

(2) 

Village Kot Ram- 
chandra, Pargana 
Haveli Avadh, tehsil 
Faizabad Sadar, District 
Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

0 

0 

0 

1 

5 

0 

0 

5 

0 

1 

1 

1 

0 

1 

2 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

 9 

 7 

 8 

 6 

 8 

 4 

 13 

 13 

 18 

 8 

 2 

 7 

 8 

 7 

 7 

 18 

 3 

 6 

 2 

 16 

 10 

 14 

 14 

 13 

 7 

 7 

 6 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 7 

 0 

 0 

 8 

 0 

 0 

 7 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 0 

 5 

 10 

 5 

 5 

 9 

(3) 

143 

144 

145 

146 

147 

158 

159 

160 

161 

162 

168 

169 

170 

171 

172 

173 

174 

175 

176 

177 

178 

179 

180 

181 

182 

183 

184 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 

(2) 

(4) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

(5) 

7 

6 

7 

18 

14 

4 

6 

7 

12 

19 

5 

5 

5 

3 

12 

0 

3 

10 

5 

19 

5 

11 

8 

13 

4 

19 

6 

2 

6 

11 

(6) 

5 

10 

0 

15 

0 

0 

14 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

14 

15 

0 

5 

0 

0 

(3) 

185 

186 

187 

188 

189 

190 

191 

192 

193 

194 

195 

196 

197 

198 

199 

200 

204 

(part) 

Bounded by plot 
No. 222 on South, 
Plot No. 205 on 
West and plot No. 
231 on East. 

205 

206 

207 

208 

209 

210 

211 

212 

213 

214 

215 

216 

217 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 

(2) 

(3) 
218 
219 
220 
221 
222 
223 
224 
225 
226 
227 
228 
229 
230 
231 
232 
233 
234 
235 
236 
237 
238 
239 
244 
(part) 

(4) 
0 
1 
0 
1 
0 
5 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
1 
2 
0 

(5) 
3 
6 
12 
2 
5 
6 
0 
11 
10 
7 
5 
11 
2 
1 
2 
2 
12 
10 
4 
1 
6 
1 
14 

(6) 
0 
5 
0 
15 
7 
0 
0 
15 
5 
5 
0 
10 
10 
10 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
10 

Bounded on the 
North partly by plot 
No. 240 and partly by 
plot No. 243, on the 
West partly by plot 
No. 239 and partly by 
plot No. 240 and on 
the South by Plot No. 
246. 

246 
(part) 
Bounded by plot No. 
238 on the South, 
plot No. 239 on the 
West and plot No. 
244 on the North. 

7 

0 

18 

0 

             75               14              7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 
2. 

(2) 
Village Avadhkhas, 
Pargana  Haveli Avadh, 
tehsil Faizabad Sadar, 
District Faizabad, Uttar 
Pradesh. 

(4) 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

(5) 
11 
7 
6 
14 

4 
3 
4 
12 
5 
5 
0 
1 
3 
9 
1 
7 
13 
3 
8 
8 
9 
6 
4 
11 
12 
5 
5 
3 
4 
4 
1 
9 
4 
5 
0 
3 
5 
7 
6 
6 

(6) 
17 
14 
2 
14 

3 
0 
5 
15 
8 
10 
10 
10 
10 
12 
17 
14 
15 
0 
0 
0 
10 
6 
15 
4 
6 
9 
0 
5 
15 
0 
0 
0 
5 
15 
15 
0 
0 
15 
10 
0 

(3) 
1104 
1105 
1106 
1107 

1108 
1109 
1110 
1111 
1112 
1113 
1114 
1115 
1116 
1117 
1118 
1119 
1120 
1121 
1122 
1123 
1124 
1125 
1126 
1127 
1128 
1129 
1130 
1132 
1133 
1134 
1135 
1136 
1143 
1144 
1145 
1146 
1147 
1148 
1149 
1166 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 

(2) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(3) 

(part) 

Bounded by plot No. 
1203 on East, plot No. 
1151 on West and plot 
No. 1167 on South. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

1 

2 

11 

2 

7 

0 

0 

3 

4 

5 

7 

11 

4 

1 

12 

8 

7 

4 

1 

13 

7 

1 

4 

7 

1 

2 

9 

1 

   1 

   8 

   1 

   1 

   2 

5 

0 

5 

5 

5 

10 

0 

15 

15 

5 

10 

0 

5 

10 

0 

15 

15 

10 

15 

15 

0 

5 

5 

6 

15 

5 

6 

5 

10 

18 

10 

15 

10 

15 

0 

0 

1206 

1210 

1211 

1212 

1213 

1214 

1215 

1216 

1217 

1218 

1219 

1220 

1221 

1222 

1223 

1225 

1226 

1227 

1228 

1229 

1230 

1231 

1232 

1233 

1234 

1235 

1236 

1237 

1238 

1239 

1240 

1241 

1242 

1243 

1247 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 

(2) 

(3) 
(part) 

Bounded by plot 
No. 1248 on North, 
Plot No. 1246 on 
South and Plot No. 
1291 on East/Road. 

3. 

Village Jalwanpur,  
Pargana Haveli Avadh, tehsil 
Faizabad Sadar, District 
Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. 

1248 

1249 

1250 

1251 

1252 

1253 

1254 

1255 

1256 

1257 

1258 

1259 

1 
2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

10 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

7 

8 

9 

10 

13 

7 

0 

0 

12 

10 

4 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

0 

0 

0 

10 

5 

10 

           27              00          11 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3 

1 

0 

9 

0 

19 

2 

4 

10 

0 

3 

14 

10 

0 

5 

0 

5 

15 

10 

0 

15 

15 

10 

10 

0 

5 

0 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

27 

(4) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

(5) 

15 

8 

3 

6 

7 

6 

(6) 

15 

15 

15 

5 

5 

0 

             9                7          15 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
